The Re-Opening Of Ellwood City Public Library

The Ellwood City Public Library, as well as all public libraries in the state of Pennsylvania, was closed to the public on March 14th and all other services were placed on hiatus due to COVID-19. For the past 10-weeks, due to the closing order from the Office of Commonwealth Libraries part of the Department of Education), staff members joined the rest of the nation in the work from home order.

Now with the state re-opening, the libraries will also be using their own re-opening system to help ensure further safety. Further, all due dates have been waived and no books currently checked out are overdue. There will be no overdue fines associated with any books that were due during the time the Library was closed.

Starting June 9, the Ellwood City Public Library will start accepting returns. The process won’t be as simple as using the drop off box however, that box will remain closed. The plan is to have four bins outside of the Library where the drop offs can be made. Bins will be marked specifically for books, audio books, and DVDs so please use them accordingly. Staff will not be working full time so drop offs will only be accepted from Tuesday to Thursday from 10 AM to 4 PM when staff is present in the building. Within the bins will be heavy-duty black bags. Items that are dropped off, must be placed in said bags. Staff members will periodically come to switch the bags. This is pre-cautioned measure taken after the CDC guidelines and State Mandates that all books and materials that are returned must undergo a quarantine period. Books must be placed in it for three to five days and DVDs/Audio Books must be held for five to nine days. There will be a set “isolation ward” in the library for the items to be held. Following their quarantine, books will be sanitized to the best of the staff members ability without damaging the books, checked in, and re-shelved.

“I expect the return process to last at least a couple of weeks,” said Veronica Pacella, Library Director. “We are estimating that we likely have around 8,000 books and materials circulating right now.

This process is estimated to last until June 23, and when it is completed or nearly completed, staff will begin a “curbside pickup” service. Much like a typical restaurant style pick-up, you will call the library at 724-758-6458 and request a pickup. From there, you can either say specific titles,authors, or even genres, or if you’re one to browse before choosing whomever answered your call may ask for a title or an author of the last book you enjoyed so they can assist in finding another book you’d like. There will also be a “bundle” option, you say what kind of books you, or even your child, like and they will group a few books together and check them out under the person requesting. The process of this will be roughly simple. Staff will place newly checked out books with a due date slip in the book in a bag with the patrons name stapled to it. Patrons will then be given a pickup time, where they will come to the library and collect their book(s) from the alphabetized benches in the library. Masks must be worn when picking up books in the lobby.

“We have no idea at this time when the next phase of re-opening will take place,” said Pacella. “That part of the re-opening process will include allowing limited numbers of people into the Library at a time, and limited services offered inside. Again, we have no timetable yet on when that will occur, but just know we are working diligently to make that happen as soon as it is safe to do so.”